Newen Connect has closed a raft of sales on “Kina & Yuk,” a live action family adventure from the team behind “Ailo’s Journey,” ahead of the Unifrance Rendez-Vous showcase.
Directed by Guillaume Maidatchevsky (“Ailo’s Journey”), the feature is a wild arctic tale following two foxes who are separated by the melting polar ice and must overcome a number of dangers in the hope of being reunited and raise a family together. The movie was released in French theaters by UGC on Dec. 27.
“Kina & Yuk” has been sold by Newen Connect to over 30 markets so far, including Australia and New Zealand (Rialto), Austria and Germany, Baltic states (Acme), Benelux (Distrib7), Bulgaria (Beta Film), Czech Rep. and Slovakia (Donart), Guyana, Guadeloupe and Martinique (Filmdis), Hungary (Vertigo), Indonesia (PT Falcon), Middle East (Grand Entertainment), Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria (Golden Film), Poland (Best Film), Réunion, Mayotte and Maurice (Maurefilms and Investissement & Commerce), Romania (Malusa Media Consulting), Spain (Beta Fiction), Switzerland (Pathe), Turkey (ATV), Ukraine (Top Film) and former Yugoslavia (Blitz), as well as airlines through Skeye. The film’s co-production partners, Adler and Les Films Opale, have also brokered distribution deals in Italy and Canada respectively.
Like Maidatchevsky’s debut feature, “Alio’s Journey,” “Kina & Yuk” was made with real animals in their natural habitats. It lensed in Yukon, a region in Northwestern Canada surrounded by mountains, rivers and forests. “Kina & Yuk” also reteams Maidatchevsky with the banner Valdés, a joint venture between producer Laurent Flahault and Borsalino Productions co-founders, Laurent Baudens and Gaël Nouaille.
“‘Kina & Yuk’ tells a universal story of love and friendship, which transcends any geographic boundaries and resonates with audiences particularly well at this time of year,” said Alice Damiani, senior VP of international film sales at Newen Connect. “Beyond that, it has the brilliantly creative partnership behind it of Guillaume Maidatchevsky and Valdès to bring this heart-warming live action story to life,” Damiani continued.
Newen Connect’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous roster includes two new titles, Arnaud Lemort’s “Family Therapy,” starring Christian Clavier (“Serial (Bad) Weddings”) and Lucien Jean-Baptiste’s “Start Me Up,” among others.
